Anne Boleyn

by Evelyn Anthony

Set against the intrigue and pageantry of the sixteenth-century English court, Evelyn Anthony’s novel tells the love story of Henry Tudor and Anne Boleyn, who would become his wife, his queen, and the mother of one of Britain’s greatest monarchs
 
On a lovely midsummer afternoon, Henry Tudor rides to Hever Castle. There, he feasts his eyes on Anne Boleyn, who caught his roving attention at court a few months earlier. Anne is in no mood to receive her king. He has torn from her the one man she loved: Harry Percy, who was forced to marry another. But King Henry VIII is not a man who gives up—the thrill of the chase only excites him more. Yet the woman he desires so passionately is no fool. Educated at the French court, Anne vows that she will not share the fate of her naïve younger sister, Mary, who after bearing Henry a bastard son was cast away and married off to a country squire. No, Anne will settle for nothing less than the crown of England, even if Henry has to break with Rome in order to marry her.
 
History comes thrillingly alive in a novel that features a teeming canvas of iconic real-life characters: Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, the enemy Anne vows to destroy; Henry’s first wife, the proud and pious Queen Catherine of Aragon; and Thomas Cromwell, who engineers Anne’s downfall. From the halcyon early days of courtship to her imprisonment in the palace tower for treason, this is a tale of love, ambition, and the tragic destiny of Anne of the Thousand Days.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Tudor Period, Historical, British Literature, Adult, 16th Century

310 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1957

About the author

Evelyn Anthony was the pen name of Evelyn Bridgett Patricia Stephens Ward-Thomas,

Started her career as a writer of historical fiction, later switched to writing contemporary thrillers, often with an espionage theme.

She met Michael Ward-Thomas on a double date in The Dorchester and both were attracted to each other.] He worked for the Consolidated African Selection Trust. They switched partners and were married a few months later.

They bought Horham Hall in 1968 but found that it was costly and sold it in 1976 and moved to Naas, County Kildare where she had relatives. Increased income from her writing allowed her to buy Horham Hall back in 1982.

In 1994 she became High Sheriff of Essex, the firswt woman in over 700 years to hold this office.

In 1995 her daughter Kitty died of a heroin overdose, leading Evelyn to not write for another seven years.

In 2004 her husband died of a stroke.

She was survived by her children Susan, Anthony, Ewan, Christian and Luke as well as 16 grandchildren.

NB:Some sources give Ms Anthonys year of birth as 1926.

Additional information added from Wikipedia

Reviews

[Carol, She's so Novel ꧁꧂ · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was one of the loveliest gardens of its kind that he had ever seen, a rose garden where the rich sensual flowers bloomed in profusion in their beds of Kentish clay, and a little stone faun stood on a pedestal in the centre of pinks and reds and whites and yellows, piping a soundless tune into the scented air. And there, cutting a crimson rose, with her hands full of flowers, Henry saw Anne Boleyn.

And so begins one of the great love stories of all time, where Henry VIII develops a passion for the wily Anne Boleyn. Well, it was a love story - until it wasn't.

Evelyn Anthony (better known for her thrillers) is a skilled writer who shows how Anne ensnared Henry by refusing to yield to him. His desire for her, lead to Anne feeling invincible, and she was sharp, contemptuous & impatient with those around her, making enemies of those that she should have cultivated. So when Henry's seven year passion abruptly waned, there were plenty of people rejoicing.

I've never seen Henry portrayed as anything but a horrible human being, but this is certainly the cruelest portrayal of Anne I have ever read - & it feels very authentic.

Both portraits from the 1530s & both in the public domain.


For a book from the 1950s, this book does speak very plainly about sexual matters ( &, smirk, I think Henry deserves this!) & is persuasive about Henry's motivations.

He wanted something new to hunt. The pursuit, never the kill, she thought hysterically, her lips moving. He didn't really care for the kill. That was the secret. That was why he tired, and the legend of his great virility grew as he discarded one woman after the other. And it was a lie; he wasn't virile in the sense the world accepted. He was a bad lover; he was unskilled and nervous and he didn't really like it.

I've set myself a challenge for this year- to try to get through as many of the 12 unread Anthony's I own as I can - & this was an excellent beginning.

I listened to https://music.youtube.com/playlist?li... while writing this review - & I wish I had listened to it while reading the novel. Perfect music for setting the mood.

[Noella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ik heb al verschillende boeken over Anna Boleyn gelezen, maar ik ben altijd nieuwsgierig als ik er nog een tegenkom.
Ik vond dit boek wel goed, alhoewel sommige zaken maar summier uitgelegd werden, zoals de relaties tussen sommige personen, en de geschiedenis aan het hof van anderen. Zo wordt er bv. heel weinig over Thomas More gezegd, terwijl die toch wel belangrijk was in zijn tijd. Ik was ook blij dat ik reeds op de hoogte was van het feit dat Anna een tijd een Frankrijk verbleven had als hofdame van de zus van Hendrik, Mary, die een tijdje met de koning van Frankrijk getrouwd was en dus koningin van Frankrijk geweest is. Daarna trouwde ze met de hertog van Suffolk, die dus een schoonbroer van Hendrik was. Interessante achtergrond die toch wel nuttig is om te weten als je dit boek leest.
Verder, ja, het verhaal is bekend. Wat mij vooral geraakt heeft, is het feit dat Anna voor het huwelijk zo veel in alle vrijheid samen kon zijn met Hendrik, maar eens ze getrouwd waren, kon ze nooit meer (volgens het protocol) zo maar onaangekondigd bij Hendrik aanlopen. Zij waren alleen samen 'op afspraak'. En andere vrouwen genoten vanaf dan meer vrijheden t.o.v. hun samenzijn met de koning dan Anne. De rollen waren dus omgedraaid. Dat had ik eigenlijk daarvoor nooit zo beseft. Daarom ook dat Catherine (voor een deel althans) zo hulpeloos was toen ze koningin was.
Dit boek is historische fictie, maar ik denk dat het toch in vele opzichten zich aan de waarheid (in zoverre die echt gekend kan zijn) houdt. Waarschijnlijk door het beperkt aantal pagina's zijn er wel wat hiaten, die ik liever opgevuld had gezien. De schrijfstijl is niet denderend, maar zeker ook niet slecht.

[jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite books of all time, I finally found this in a used bookstore in Oregon after literally years of searching. I originally read this book when I was about 11 years old, which now seems a bit odd to me since, having re-read the book as an adult, I realize it is quite sophisticated. Though a novel, 'Anne Boleyn' helped fuel my lifelong love of history and biography, as well as my continuing fascination with this singular, tragic woman.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This version doesn’t bring anything terribly new to the Anne-Boleyn-historical-fiction-table, but, considering it was written about 70 years ago, I won’t hold that against it.

It is a solid presentation of what may have happened, and really digs into what may have been going on in various people’s heads as Anne and Henry decided to reshape the world to suit their own desires. A good mix of modern language and quotes from the time period, without going overboard either way.

And I loved how much it emphasized how much everyone was a part of this or that faction, quick to make alliances, but just as quick to turn on each other. Good lord - reality shows have nothing on the Tudor court!

[Jadie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really surprised by how much I liked this! A very reasonably accurate dramatization of Anne Boleyn's 7-8 years at the court of King Henry VIII, I found myself captivated by the story despite knowing ultimately what happens. I went from rooting for Anne as a sort of vengeful femme fatale figure, to having a combination of admiration and disgust for her as she wielded her newfound favor and power abusively, to pitying her as her allies and safety dwindled in the last year of her life. I don't typically love historical fiction/dramatization, but Anthony is a great author and wove the story well. I actually found myself internalizing more about 16th century Western European history thru reading this than I ever have in any of my history classes.

[Marilyn Saul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Those of us who read historical fiction recognize that the author needs to surmise a great deal in order to bring the characters to life. Evelyn Anthony has superbly captured relatable protagonists and antagonists in her representation of the life and death of Anne Boleyn. The court intrigue and the personal power plays of the time period were firmly laid out for inspection. I won't say I "enjoyed" this book, but I certainly learned a great about this complicated and sad character that most of us only briefly glimpsed in our high school history lessons.

[Peggyzbooksnmusic · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rated 3 stars. Published in 1957; this was one of my Mother's favorite books. I didn't like this as much as her novels of Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria. Probably because I read the magnificent Wolf Hall trilogy a few years back. I understand that her espionage novels are highly rated so maybe will read those sometime in the future.

[JT CAREY · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evelyn was able to put a different spin on this much written about character. Although I wouldn't call this book a page-turner (as most of us know how it ends for poor Anne), it had enough plot twists to make it entertaining and interesting.

[Rosie Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A slightly different perspective on the Anne Boleyn story but a ver good read highly recommend

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5? Maybe, conflicted.

Written a great many years ago, it isn't a bad historical novel. It is far more acccurate than say The Other Boleyn Girl (though that is damning with faint praise, isn't it?). I enjoyed Anthony's mysteries/thrillers better. There are some really nice scenes here, and she does a good job of capturing Henry VIII, but it's a bit been there, done that kinda of a book.

[Shanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whew! This book is a real downer! Before reading this, I knew the general outcome, so that part wasn't a surprise, but all the details of how awful everyone was to each other was quite an ordeal. Anne Boleyn was King Henry VIII's second wife, by scandalous and treacherous means. She was not a nice person, Henry was not a nice person, lots of people were not nice. This was like a soap opera, with all the wheelings and dealings and back-stabbings and self-serving grubbery.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy and engaging read. What could be a dizzying cast is kept to the minimum necessary. Some historical facts, especially regarding religious aspects, are fuzzy at best and inaccurate at worst. I’ve read this multiple times, meeting it first as a middle schooler perusing my grandmother’s shelves, so even though neither my favorite nor the best book about Anne Boleyn it continues to earn shelf space.

[Angela Dabb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evelyn Anthony Has an exquisite ability to paint an epic historical romance.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The time I took to read this is more reflective of how little I've been reading on my Kindle at the gym. I read a lot of historical fiction in the Tudor era, but most of it has been more contemporary. It was fun reading an older take on Anne Boleyn to see how the perception of her has changed over time. This Anne was less sympathetic and more conniving but I liked how this book got into the politics of her downfall without being boring. (I can't tell you how many times I've been put to sleep wading through yet another recap of "The Great Matter.") That said, the jumping of perspectives with no notice/transition drove me nuts and there was so much telling and not a lot of action which made reading sometimes a slog.

[Jasmine | Poppies and Jasmine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This historical fiction novel was a bit dry. I’m very interested in Anne Boleyn, I’ve read a lot about her, and I just feel like Anthony’s version – cold, conniving, and calculating – isn’t true to what we know about her in a lot of ways. On top of that, there were a lot of events mentioned in the book but glossed over, and others that involved far more assumptions than I think were necessary. All in all, not my favorite novel covering her life.

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was hard to put down, and I was disappointed it wasn't a longer story, not only because the writing is so good but the reason it ended was Anne's life ended - murdered. Trumped up charges, equals murder, end of story - pun intended. I find her life story fascinating, and try to read any and all I am able to about her experience.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The start date given is the date this book was requested to talking books. This is a very good historical book about Anne Bolin. I’ve read others and I really enjoyed this one. I cannot believe the cruelty and the blood there is thirstiness of that era of history. We still have it some of it here today.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite novel of Anne Boleyn. It left out a lot of information and there were quite a few spelling and grammatical errors. Maybe a good just getting to know Anne Boleyn novel, but having read both historical and true history about the Tudors, I was really underwhelmed.

[RuthyMB · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my god well what a fascinating book!
This is a novel based on historical facts of the life of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. What a tragic life she had.
I think the Tudor’s will be my new obsession and I’ve already brought another book on all of Henry VIIIs wives.

[Shauna · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're a fan of the Tudors I highly recommend this novel. Anthony suggests a story so in depth and intricate that the reader finds it quite plausible this could be close to the truth. And my reference here is to the inner workings of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn.

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Fun Read But.....

The story of Anne Boleyn is well known. So is Catherine of Aragon. This book has some glaring historical inaccuracies. The description of Catherine is dead wrong.

[Veronica Gliatti · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was somewhere between a 3 and a 4. I liked it but gave up trying to keep everyone straight but still really enjoyed it and found the story interesting, tragic but a good reveal on the mind of both Anne and King Henry

[Diane Williamson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gotta love her!

I’ve read quite a few books on Anne Boleyn and this one had a different prospective. I liked it well!

[Erinn Dimond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compelling, vivid, memorable.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this book a cute little Kentucky antique shop. It launched my fascination with AB and Tudor history.

[Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Ann Bortnyik · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweeping, beautiful novel on Anne Boleyn’s life and her tragic fate. It’s not completely historically accurate but it is glamorous.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great retelling of Anne Boleyn - there's nothing new under the sun but I enjoyed the portrait the author painted of her as an individual with feelings and emotions. Worth a read if you're a fan.

[wally walter · Rating 4 out of 5]

an excellent account

[Juliet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this initially when I was a senior in high school and absolutely loved it. Anne Boleyn was my favorite of Henry 8's wives because of this book. Re-reading it now with wiser, more adult eyes, I see Anne and Henry both as unhinged, each in a different way -- Henry, far more dangerously so. Still, just as Anne won over the crowd at the very end of her life, so also has Anthony by virtue of her skillful depiction won me all over again to Anne's side in spite of her faults.

I say this because so many people judge a book, in a juvenile way, on the basis of whether they like the main character or not. The fact that so many people do this is really driving me up the wall. Anne is not likable. She is vain, ambitious to the point of destroying other people, greedy for power, clever, witty, able to think like lightning, passionate, literate, intelligent -- in short, a gold mine full of personality. And Evelyn Anthony makes all of this come to life in a setting that might otherwise have been weighed down by all the costumes and castles and pomp. Anne is not someone you'd want to be your friend, or at least, if she were your friend, you would want to be very wary of her even as you admired her talents. But isn't it good to know this about someone? Isn't it good to become so acquainted with a character like this you know her inside and out, feel like you are living inside her? This is the true gift of fiction, which is that it allows us to experience what it is like to life live as someone else, someone dramatically NOT us, and in this case, someone who lived in a wildly different time and set of circumstances. Yet Anthony is so skilled, she made 16th century England recognizable territory. All the scheming and infighting and people struggling to step over one another reminded me forcibly of The Sopranos. I was left to conclude, this is what the pursuit of power does to people, whatever the environment. What an incredibly valuable thing to learn. And on top of all that, in addition to just plain telling a damn good story, Anthony made me respect the hell out of Anne Boleyn even as she showed me how she schemed her life away. That is an achievement.

All you readers who would ditch this book because Anne is not "nice" or "likable," you are missing out on LIFE.